NCJ Number
123076
Journal
Corrections Today Volume: 51 Issue: 5 Dated: (August 1989) Pages: 28,30,34-36
Date Published
1989
Length
5 pages
Annotation
Juvenile corrections should develop programs that both meet the needs of the juvenile offender and protect the public from harm by such offenders.
Abstract
Juvenile offenders require incentives and opportunities to adopt constructive behavior along with deterrents and reasonable consequences for continued delinquent behavior. The nature of the services provided by each level of the system should be consistent. There should be an element of accountability for having committed the offense and a competency-building element to help youths become productive. Public-protection elements should ensure that behavioral change occurs without undue risk that the offender will harm the public further. Intervention strategies should reflect a graduated intensity of treatment and control based on offense severity. As youths demonstrate less ability to perform responsibly and safely in the community, more intense control measures must be used. Conversely, as youths demonstrate an ability to act responsibly and safely, controls should be relaxed. As the community appreciates that the dual goals of offender rehabilitation and community protection are not mutually exclusive, greater citizen participation in and support for juvenile corrections is likely.